Post by Shiva64 on Mar 6, 2006 18:15:48 GMT -5
Hey everyone. This is the first review by me in quite a while. This is the first DS game I got since I've been on my own. This is my review of Zoo Tycoon DS.
The rating system I will use is 1-10 for each "section", and I will add up the points up to a max of 50. (Max of ten points for each review section.) Then I will calculate the added points, and give a "grade" rating.
Pratically everyone knows about the Zoo Tycoon series. If you haven't heard of it, you really need to move out of that cave. Zoo Tycoon is a very popular game. It reaches kids and adults alike, and tycoon gamers and animal fanatics. Me, I'm an animal person. Plus the idea of building something is cool (remember LEGOs anyone?). Here is my review of the newest installment to the series. Zoo Tycoon DS.
Graphics:
Rating: 7/10
While these are not the best graphics seen on the DS, they are decent on the eyes. The look almost like the graphics for the PC version, but DS-ized. There are a few graphical glitches that I have noticed, but overall, they are good. Not much else to really say here.
Gameplay:
Rating: 5/10
While this game brings back memories of the PC original, it's not exactly quite as fun. In fact, it can get quite aggravating at times. I'll tell more about that in the Controls section. One thing I did like to do in the PC games, I liked to edit my exhibit names, and name my zoo, but you can't name your exhibits, keepers, guests, zoo, or anything else like that. It takes forever for the game to load up the main menu, I don't know why it has to be so long, but it does apparently. <.< The good thing about this game though, it still has all the original Zoo Tycoon (not the expansions) animals. But as far as I can tell, it doesn't have the 2 secret animals. The Triceratops, and the Unicorn. And also another thing, you can't assign a zoo keeper to multiple exhibits, it has to be one zoo keeper per exhibit. And one thing I've noticed... male animals can give birth. I've had multiple males give birth. I thought only male seahorses gave birth? O.o;
Downloads? Keep dreaming. It ain't happening on the DS game. User created stuff? In your dreams also.
Controls:
Rating: 3/10
The stylus control could've been better. For example, if you wanna choose the Foliage option under the Construction Tab, it may end up choosing a different option, forcing you to go back and try selecting Foliage again. this does happen a bit, so it can get frustrating building your zoo. This can happen to everyone who has this game, it's nothing you can fix with the DS's Calibration test. It's either poor touch control, or a glitch.
Sound/Music:
Rating: 4/10
What sounds or music? There really isn't any. There are some, but the music is mainly in the title menu, and there are very few sounds in the actual gameplay. You'll hear animal sounds and very few guest related sounds, but not really anything else. I like to have noise in my games, personally.
Replayability:
Rating: 8/10
Why such a high score? Well, if you can get past all the glitches, and not enough editing ability, it can be quite fun to try out different ways to beat each of the scenarios the game has to offer. The game does has a few extra scenarios that I've noticed, so that's a plus.
Overall:
Rating: 27/50 (5.4/10 Grade)
This game could be disappointing for some (it kinda was for me). But if you're looking for maybe, a traveling game (if you don't have a laptop), or if your PC isn't quite powerful enough to build a decent zoo, then this could be a choice for you, If you don't mind all the glitches. Otherwise, this may not be the choice for you, and it's certaintly not for everyone.
The rating system I will use is 1-10 for each "section", and I will add up the points up to a max of 50. (Max of ten points for each review section.) Then I will calculate the added points, and give a "grade" rating.
Pratically everyone knows about the Zoo Tycoon series. If you haven't heard of it, you really need to move out of that cave. Zoo Tycoon is a very popular game. It reaches kids and adults alike, and tycoon gamers and animal fanatics. Me, I'm an animal person. Plus the idea of building something is cool (remember LEGOs anyone?). Here is my review of the newest installment to the series. Zoo Tycoon DS.
Graphics:
Rating: 7/10
While these are not the best graphics seen on the DS, they are decent on the eyes. The look almost like the graphics for the PC version, but DS-ized. There are a few graphical glitches that I have noticed, but overall, they are good. Not much else to really say here.
Gameplay:
Rating: 5/10
While this game brings back memories of the PC original, it's not exactly quite as fun. In fact, it can get quite aggravating at times. I'll tell more about that in the Controls section. One thing I did like to do in the PC games, I liked to edit my exhibit names, and name my zoo, but you can't name your exhibits, keepers, guests, zoo, or anything else like that. It takes forever for the game to load up the main menu, I don't know why it has to be so long, but it does apparently. <.< The good thing about this game though, it still has all the original Zoo Tycoon (not the expansions) animals. But as far as I can tell, it doesn't have the 2 secret animals. The Triceratops, and the Unicorn. And also another thing, you can't assign a zoo keeper to multiple exhibits, it has to be one zoo keeper per exhibit. And one thing I've noticed... male animals can give birth. I've had multiple males give birth. I thought only male seahorses gave birth? O.o;
Downloads? Keep dreaming. It ain't happening on the DS game. User created stuff? In your dreams also.
Controls:
Rating: 3/10
The stylus control could've been better. For example, if you wanna choose the Foliage option under the Construction Tab, it may end up choosing a different option, forcing you to go back and try selecting Foliage again. this does happen a bit, so it can get frustrating building your zoo. This can happen to everyone who has this game, it's nothing you can fix with the DS's Calibration test. It's either poor touch control, or a glitch.
Sound/Music:
Rating: 4/10
What sounds or music? There really isn't any. There are some, but the music is mainly in the title menu, and there are very few sounds in the actual gameplay. You'll hear animal sounds and very few guest related sounds, but not really anything else. I like to have noise in my games, personally.
Replayability:
Rating: 8/10
Why such a high score? Well, if you can get past all the glitches, and not enough editing ability, it can be quite fun to try out different ways to beat each of the scenarios the game has to offer. The game does has a few extra scenarios that I've noticed, so that's a plus.
Overall:
Rating: 27/50 (5.4/10 Grade)
This game could be disappointing for some (it kinda was for me). But if you're looking for maybe, a traveling game (if you don't have a laptop), or if your PC isn't quite powerful enough to build a decent zoo, then this could be a choice for you, If you don't mind all the glitches. Otherwise, this may not be the choice for you, and it's certaintly not for everyone.
. I do NOT need him playing a game that will be WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY to hard for him, or I will never hear the end of it.
